Labeled container



Aug. 22, 1944. c. L. HANSEN I LABELED CONTAINER v Filed Oct. 25. 1940 lNVENTOR CLARE NC E L. HANfiE N H/5 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LABELED CONTAINER Clarence L. Hansen, San Francisco, Calif., as-

signorto Tri-PakflGunKit, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California. Application October 23, 1940, Serial No. 362,478 1 Claim. 01. 40-4) My invention relates to containers, and to methods of packaging and labeling products in said containers.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide an improved container formed of plastic ma terial and having transparent wall portions for displaying the contents and a label or other in signia positioned inside the container.

Another object is to provide a transparent container in which is placed a strip of resilient transparent material bearing a label or other insignia displayed through the container wall so as to prevent marring or soiling thereof throughout the life of the container.

Other objects are to provide improved features of construction, and methods of forming, assembling, labeling, filling and sealing containers, designed to facilitate the packaging of goods such as oil. and other fluid products.

' The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an exploded view showing a preferred form of the container parts in separated relation.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the container, parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 33 of Figure 2 in the direction indicated.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view taken upon the line 4--4 of Figure 3 in the direction indicated.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view taken upon the line 5--5 of Figure 2 in the direction indicated.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the container as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmental view of another form of container labeled in accordance with my invention.

In terms of broad inclusion, my invention comprises a transparent container in which is placed a strip of sheet material substantially conforming to the interior of the container and bearing a label or other insignia displayed through the wall of the container. Preferably the container is molded from transparent plastic material, and the sheet material is of resilient transparent character such as to shape itself to the interior of the container, and permit the display of the contents of the container therethrough. The container may advantageously be of non-circular cross section along the major portionof its height to prevent rolling if tipped over, but is preferably formed with a circular base portion to facilitate the assembly of a base closure thereon.

My invention also contemplates a structure, and mode of assembling and filling a container characterized by the application of molded plastic bottom closure elements permitting ready filling of the container from the bottom and an effective sealing of the filled container by a merging to-' gether of contacting areas of the parts under the influence of a solvent.

In terms of greater detail, the container of my in ention comprises a container body I prefer ably molded from transparent plastic material. In its preferred embodiment, illustrated in Fi ures 1 to 6 of the drawing, the container is provided with a spout 2 molded integrally with the body, and arranged to receive a closure cap 3 threaded or otherwise secured thereon. This form of the container is particularly intended for contaming oil or similar fluid materials, such as commonly dispensed in small quantities through a spout. For that purpose, the body is preferably shaped in non-circular cross section through the major portion of its height so that, if the container is tipped onto its side, it will not roll.

The body I is molded with an open base portion 4 arranged to receive a bottom closure 6. Preferably the base portion 4 is of circular form arranged to seat in a circular groove 1 formed in the closure member 6. The closure 6 is-preferably formed of molded plasticmaterial such as to permit the bottom to be joined to the base portion 4 by a merging of the plastic materials under the influence of a sealing agent applied to the contacting areas.

Before the bottom closure member 6 is applied to the base portion 4, a strip of suitable sheet ma terial bearing a label or other insignia 9 is inserted into the container through the open end. Preferably the sheet 8 is of resilient transparent plastic material of a size approximating the area of the inside of the container body. The sheet 8 is arranged to lie more or less snugly against the inner surface of the body so that the label or insignia 9, which may be printed or otherwise applied upon the sheet, will be effectively displayed through the transparent wall portion of the body I without materially concealing the contents of the container.

The bottom closure member 6 has an opening II therein through which the container may be filled after the member 6 is secured to the container base. The opening I I is closed by a sealing disc I2 secured to the closure member 6 after the container is filled. The disc is preferably of plastic material similar to that of which the member 6 is formed, and is secured thereto by applying a solvent or other sealing agent having the property of causing the contacting surfaces to merge and form a permanent sealed joint. A rib I3 is preferably provided upon the bottom of the closure Ii to aid in centering the disc I2 over the opening I I.

Preferably the body I, closure 6, and sealing disc I2 are made of a cellulose acetate butrate plastic such as Tenite #2. It has been found that this material is extremely tough and offers very great resistance to breakage; also that it wil1 stand a high degree of heat, and possesses other properties which make it particularly useful for the purpose of my invention. Other plastic materials such as the cellulose acetate plastics, Vinylite resins, or similar plastic materials commonly available for molding purposes, may be substituted if desired.

The body I'may be molded on a standard ejection machine equipped with a water cooling system. An injection pressure of about 22,000 pounds per square inch, and a temperature of about 450 F. has been found to be satisfactory for molding the preferred plastic material.

In my preferred practice, the molded container is first sealed at its top, as by applying a cap 3 to a threaded spout 2. The sheet 8 bearing the label or other insignia 9 is then inserted into the container body. I where it spreads to conform to the inner surface thereof. The edge of the base portion 4 is then dipped into suitable sealing agent, preferably a solvent such as acetone, and is inserted into the groove I of the closure 6. The solvent causes a softening of the plastic material such that, as the body I is pressed onto the closure 6, the contacting portions merge to form a permanently sealed joint, as at I4. The circular shape of the base portion I and groove I permit the parts to be fitted together without regard to the relation of the long and short diameters of the main body portion of the container to any particular diameter of the closure 6.

The container, with the closure member 6 joined to its bottom, is then placed bottom up upon a suitable rack on which it is moved to a filling station where it is filled with oil or other fluid product through the opening H. Since the filling mechanism forms no part of the present invention, no specific disclosure of such mechanism has been included herein.

After the container is filled, the disc I2 is applied to the closure 6 to seal the opening I I. This is accomplished by applying acetone or other suitable sealing agent to the disc I2 and pressing it onto the closure 6, the solvent action of the acetone causing the parts to merge and form a permanent sealed joint, as at I5.

The label or other insignia 9 is clearly displayed through the transparent wall portions of the body I, and since it is enclosed within the container, the label is effectively protected from marring, soiling, or other injury throughout the life of the container. By imposing the insignia 9 upon a transparent sheet, the sheet itself is substantially indiscernable, and the appearance is that of insignia printed or otherwise applied upon the inner surface of the container. The label cannot be removed or altered by any ordinary means without destroying the container.

While I have disclosed my invention as preferably embodied in a container in the form of a spouted oil can, the device and methods of my invention may of course be embodied in containers of a wide variety of forms depending upon the character of the pro-duct to be packaged. For example, in Figure 7 I have illustrated a container having a restricted neck I6. In the case of such a container, the label strip 8 is rolled tightly enough to permit it to be inserted through the neck I6. Once inside the container, the strip unrolls sufficiently to fit snugly against the inside of the container for displaying the insignia 9. The strip is protected from marring or soiling, and can be removed only with extreme difficulty. This method of labeling of course is not limited to containers molded from plastic materials, but is useful in connection with containers of any transparent material, including glass.

I claim:

A labeled container comprising a hollow selfsustaining body of transparent material, a strip of resilient transparent material within the container, said strip being substantially coextensive with the inside surface of the side-wall area between the bottom and the top of the container and the strip being spread by its own resilience into substantial conformity with said inside surface over its entire area whereby a substantially uninterrupted finish and uniform appearance is produced throughout the entire side-wall area of the container, and insignia upon the strip, the insignia being visible through the container body and the material Within the container being visible through the strip and container body.

CLARENCE L. HANSEN. 

